A lighthearted moment during an interview with boxing champion Dmitry Bivol took an unexpected turn when the boxer’s attempt at humor left a reporter momentarily confused about his off-duty activities.
The unguarded exchange occurred when Bivol was asked about his leisure time pursuits. Without missing a beat, the typically serious athlete delivered what he clearly intended as a tongue-in-cheek response that caught everyone off guard.
“Drink alcoh0l, coc**ne, her**n, everything,” Bivol said with apparent deadpan delivery. This caused a brief moment of silence before the interviewer attempted to follow up by asking about his preferred beverages.
The boxer quickly realized his joke had been taken at face value and immediately clarified his position. “I’m joking, I’m joking, you know, I’m joking!” he emphasized, laughing as he attempted to diffuse the awkward situation.
Bivol is known for his disciplined approach to training and competition. He was clearly trying to inject some levity into what had likely been a series of routine questions about his preparation and lifestyle.
Dmitry Bivol recently made history by defeating Artur Beterbiev via majority decision to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion. Bivol outboxed Beterbiev to claim all four major titles in the division. The victory also served as redemption for Bivol, who avenged his only career loss, cementing his legacy as the top boxer in the 175-pound weight class.
The highly anticipated trilogy between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev for the light heavyweight championship was originally slated for November during Riyadh Season, but those plans have now changed. Both, who are Russian, requested Turki Alalshikh’s permission to move the bout to Russia under different promoters, and he agreed. While Beterbiev won their first controversial bout in October and Bivol avenged the loss in a more exciting February rematch—both in Saudi Arabia—their third encounter is now uncertain in timing. Sources say a Russian organizer offered lucrative terms, prompting the change. Meanwhile, Bivol was stripped of his WBC title earlier this year, which David Benavidez will defend against Anthony Yarde in Riyadh on the card that was meant to feature Bivol-Beterbiev 3.
